India v Pakistan | 1st Test | Delhi | 24/11/07 | Day 3

[Caved12]

Misbah using his front foot quite wisely

 

[XFactor]

Whats the matter with Sachin's and Kumble's runup?
Why are they stuttering?

Going wide off the crease once in a while to change the angle I guess. Looks awkward in real time.

 

[Shoaib Akhtar's Fan]

Another one run taken

 

[kashmiri]

as long as misbah is there we can get to 400.

i say our target should be 400

 

[Lightning]

That's the end of days play. Fascinating day awaits us tom!

212/5 at close

 

[Shoaib Akhtar's Fan]

Light offered to the batsmen and thats the end of play on day 3

 

[Caved12]

212-5, end of day, Misbah kinda saved us again from a disaster.

 

[Easa]

And thats stumps.

Good fightback by Akmal/Misbah, lets hope they can continue on tomorrow. What a Test match this is.

 

[iZeeshan]

The end of days play. Pakistan finish good, but could have been a lot better. Need to bat two sessions tomorrow to make it real good.

 

[Shoaib Akhtar's Fan]

Session clearly belonged to the indians and had that catch been taken would have been curtains for us

 

[XFactor]

I cant wait till tomorrow morning.

 

[sohaibsyed]

good fightback from pakistan. This is a very interesting test match

 

[iZeeshan]

This has been the first test match I have watched from Day 1. Simply great cricket.

 

[slix10]

133 runs tomorrow boys and we set. Hope!

 

[kablooee87]

Misbah might just have brought Pakistan back into the game here. All depends on how the first session goes tomorrow. I'd be thrilled if we are still batting at lunch.

 

[Shoaib Akhtar's Fan]

We lead by 167 runs with 5 wickets in hand... need to put up another 100 runs to have any sort of a chance..

 

[kashmiri]

133 runs tomorrow boys and we set. Hope!

why 133 ? why not 233

 

[Pathan007]

i don't care if Pak score 100runs in whole day 2morrow without getting bowled out. somehow, they must push/drag this game to day 5.

 

[Momo]

212-5, end of day, Misbah kinda saved us again from a disaster.

Kind of becoming his habit now.
Not a bad habit though.

 

[iZeeshan]

We lead by 167 runs with 5 wickets in hand... need to put up another 100 runs to have any sort of a chance..

I think its definetely possible, especially if Tanvir displays his allrounder capabilities.

 

[Shoaib Akhtar's Fan]

Misbah might just have brought Pakistan back into the game here. All depends on how the first session goes tomorrow. I'd be thrilled if we are still batting at lunch.

Yeah i loved how Misbah batted. He didn't look to be under any sort of pressure... clearly deserves to be on the winning side here

 

[Caved12]

Kind of becoming his habit now.
Not a bad habit though.

I will gladly accept him in this role, tired of saying Moyo and Yk only, Now we can say Moyo, Yk and Misbah in a same breath.

 

[Easa]

This is just a quality Test match. The ebbs and flows, the constant drama, the stroke play, the bowlers, and the atmosphere - just amazing to watch.

I hope the end isn't anti-climatic and we get to witness a thriller.

 

[Shoaib Akhtar's Fan]

I think its definetely possible, especially if Tanvir displays his allrounder capabilities.

But yes even lf Sami , Tavir and Shoaib can put up 50 runs between between them it's defintely possible.

 

[kashmiri]

my hero of the day -- wassim jaffar

 

[iZeeshan]

This is just a quality Test match. The ebbs and flows, the constant drama, the stroke play, the bowlers, and the atmosphere - just amazing to watch.

I hope the end isn't anti-climatic and we get to witness a thriller.

If Pakistan win, can it be anti-climatic?

its a shame I will miss day 5 due to school.

 

[kablooee87]

Yeah i loved how Misbah batted. He didn't look to be under any sort of pressure... clearly deserves to be on the winning side here

Actually, I think just the opposite. He DID look to be under pressure. But it's how he dealt with it that makes him good. There were 5 people around the bat at one point. Then he hit out to force Kumble to pull those fielders out and relieve the pressure.

 

[slix10]

why 133 ? why not 233

Ha 'cause I was going for the probable

We need to bat out ATLEAST 2 sessions tomorrow as well.

 

[Shahid A]

If Pakistan win, can it be anti-climatic?

its a shame I will miss day 5 due to school.

bad luck no school for me on Monday

 

[Hash]

Well I would have taken this at the start of play for sure and the beginning of our innings I said I would be satisfied if we are 160 odd ahead with five wickets in hand. Just a shame we lost those quick wickets because it could have been so much better for us......I was thinking at tea that one good session here and we could be in a position tomorrow where we just bat India out of the game.

Alas it was not to be but this is turning into such a fascinating test match. It has had everything.......twists, turns, good batting, good bowling, the unbelievable (Misbah run out). A great advertisment for test cricket and for Pakistan vs India.

First session tomorrow is crucial. I think whoever wins the first session tomorrow will win the match. If we can add another 90 runs or so and only lose one or two wickets we might even be pushing towards setting a target of 300+ which will be very very very difficult for India to get. However we could also be skittled here in the next 40 runs and 220, whilst not easy, will probably not be enough.

First session tomorrow is the most crucial session in Pakistan cricket since, ummm, well since our last session. But you get my point.

 

[kashmiri]

misbah's test average has jumped from 17.25 to 24.46

 

[kashmiri]

Well I would have taken this at the start of play for sure and the beginning of our innings I said I would be satisfied if we are 160 odd ahead with five wickets in hand. Just a shame we lost those quick wickets because it could have been so much better for us......I was thinking at tea that one good session here and we could be in a position tomorrow where we just bat India out of the game.

Alas it was not to be but this is turning into such a fascinating test match. It has had everything.......twists, turns, good batting, good bowling, the unbelievable (Misbah run out). A great advertisment for test cricket and for Pakistan vs India.

First session tomorrow is crucial. I think whoever wins the first session tomorrow will win the match. If we can add another 90 runs or so and only lose one or two wickets we might even be pushing towards setting a target of 300+ which will be very very very difficult for India to get. However we could also be skittled here in the next 40 runs and 220, whilst not easy, will probably not be enough.

First session tomorrow is the most crucial session in Pakistan cricket since, ummm, well since our last session. But you get my point.

dont think that whoever wins the first session will win the match, after all the ups and downs

 

[Hash]

dont think that whoever wins the first session will win the match, after all the ups and downs

I can't see the side that loses the first session tomorrow being able to come back into the game, personally.

 

[Momo]

I can't see the side that loses the first session tomorrow being able to come back into the game, personally.

Thats true. But thats what I thought when we lost Malik (that we wont come back). But Misbah had other ideas. Now though we arent officially back yet, we still have a slight chance.
I think the moral of this Test match (if Test matches do have morals that is) is that you cannot predict anything about this match without a major chance of looking silly.

That said, I absolutely want Pakistan to win the first (as well as the remaining) sessions tomorrow (and day after tomorrow as well).

 

[Saj]

If we can somehow muster another 100 runs tomorrow, we stand a very good chance of winning this game.

The key for Pakistan is Misbah and how he bats with the lower order and tailenders. As for today, 2 excellent sessions and then a poor hour or so - it wasnt the fact that we lost wickets, it was the manner of the dismissals, especially the Malik and Yousuf ones.

 

[Momo]

If we can somehow muster another 100 runs tomorrow, we stand a very good chance of winning this game.

The key for Pakistan is Misbah and how he bats with the lower order and tailenders. As for today, 2 excellent sessions and then a poor hour or so - it wasnt the fact that we lost wickets, it was the manner of the dismissals, especially the Malik and Yousuf ones.

Agree.
Yousaf can still be forgiven because he was playing aggressively and he fell for an indescrition. Malik, however, was playing strangely long before he got out. Was consistently trying to hit it hard to the off and missing. I am all for positive play and all that sort of thing, but even if you have to take risks, you should take good risks. Harbhajan should have been lofted to the leg because that is where his ball turns to; Malik obviously thought hitting against the spin balls from middle stump was the way to go!

 

[Caved12]

Well I would have taken this at the start of play for sure and the beginning of our innings I said I would be satisfied if we are 160 odd ahead with five wickets in hand. Just a shame we lost those quick wickets because it could have been so much better for us......I was thinking at tea that one good session here and we could be in a position tomorrow where we just bat India out of the game.

Alas it was not to be but this is turning into such a fascinating test match. It has had everything.......twists, turns, good batting, good bowling, the unbelievable (Misbah run out). A great advertisment for test cricket and for Pakistan vs India.

First session tomorrow is crucial. I think whoever wins the first session tomorrow will win the match. If we can add another 90 runs or so and only lose one or two wickets we might even be pushing towards setting a target of 300+ which will be very very very difficult for India to get. However we could also be skittled here in the next 40 runs and 220, whilst not easy, will probably not be enough.

First session tomorrow is the most crucial session in Pakistan cricket since, ummm, well since our last session. But you get my point.

agreed

 

[jackal786]

First session winners are going to be match winners.

 

[W63L35]

Well I would have taken this at the start of play for sure and the beginning of our innings I said I would be satisfied if we are 160 odd ahead with five wickets in hand. Just a shame we lost those quick wickets because it could have been so much better for us......I was thinking at tea that one good session here and we could be in a position tomorrow where we just bat India out of the game.

Yes...you did say that..... here is how our conversation went;

If we lose more than 4 wickets today, we are in trouble!

ummm no. If we get through today having lost 5 wickets I would be pretty satisfied actually.

4 or 5 - no difference...... but it also depends on how much lead we have. If we have a lead of 150-175 with 5 outs and then tomorrow Kumble/Harby cleans up the tail....its not good. I am sure you saw how much turn Kaneria was getting.

exactly. Anything above 200-220 will be very difficult for India to chase in the 4th innings.

So if we are 160-170 ahead for 5 at close today then I would be satisfied.

But it seems like......none of us is correct. Pakistan is NOT in trouble but they are not OUT of trouble either.

Alas it was not to be but this is turning into such a fascinating test match. It has had everything.......twists, turns, good batting, good bowling, the unbelievable (Misbah run out). A great advertisment for test cricket and for Pakistan vs India.

Agree

First session tomorrow is crucial. I think whoever wins the first session tomorrow will win the match. If we can add another 90 runs or so and only lose one or two wickets we might even be pushing towards setting a target of 300+ which will be very very very difficult for India to get. However we could also be skittled here in the next 40 runs and 220, whilst not easy, will probably not be enough.

90 runs before lunch will be very hard even if we do not lose a single wicket.

Scores before lunch:
1st day - 74/3 in 28 overs.
2nd day - 67/3 in 22.4 overs.
3rd day - 74/4 in 23.2 overs.

I don't see us scoring 90. But like we said, score does not matter....losing/saving wickets is the name of the name of the game!

I agree, morning session will very crucial. How much would be enough......? This is not a simple question. From surface, it seems like 250+ is good lead but keep in mind wicket is taking turn and odd balls are keeping low. We badly need a spinner to support Danish on the other end....which we don't have unless Malik surprises us and Indian with his off-breaks tomorrow. No matter how much the lead is.....Danish will have to bowl the spell of his life tomorrow!

Another thing is the number of overs left in the game. In 3 days, 240.5 overs have been bowled...i.e. 80 overs per day. So, we have 160 overs left in the game. These are plenty of overs. If we bat 45 more overs for 150+ runs, remaining 115 overs should be enough to put India under pressure.

 

[Momo]

... but keep in mind wicket is taking turn and odd balls are keeping low. We badly need a spinner to support Danish on the other end....

Dani boy was turning it big in the first innings and will most probably be doing it again in the second. However, isnt it correct that the ball has stopped keeping low (as it was so frequently doing on Day 1 and 2)?

If the bounce is becoming more and more consistent as the match is progressing (contrary to most matches played in India), that may go in favour of India.

 

[W63L35]

Dani boy was turning it big in the first innings and will most probably be doing it again in the second. However, isnt it correct that the ball has stopped keeping low (as it was so frequently doing on Day 1 and 2)?

If the bounce is becoming more and more consistent as the match is progressing (contrary to most matches played in India), that may go in favour of India.

Went to sleep just before Younis got out....so didn't get a chance to see the bounce in Pak innings that Kumble and Habry were getting. If that is the case then forget our fast bowlers, Danish is THE key with 280+ runs lead! If ball was keeping low, Sami/Akhtar/Sohail may gotten a few LBWs.

 

[infamous9383]

what a fascinating test match, its been back and forth the entire way. Both teams have played brilliant cricket and this deserves to go down as a classic no matter who wins.

Test cricket at its best.

 

[the Great Khan]

Dani boy was turning it big in the first innings and will most probably be doing it again in the second. However, isnt it correct that the ball has stopped keeping low (as it was so frequently doing on Day 1 and 2)?

If the bounce is becoming more and more consistent as the match is progressing (contrary to most matches played in India), that may go in favour of India.

kumble was getting it to turn from the footmarks which are getting worse...also i reckon akther can get us some arly wickets..the match will rest on tendu and how he bats with dravid..if we get these guys out cheaply dhoni and co will be under immense pressure...these two are key wickets!!...

im still not sure about the pitch it may look like it has eased but then again butt did play well and india bowled too short in the first session...there is turn and uneven bounce even now..combine the footmarks and pressure in front of a home crowd then anything is possible with a decent score!

 

[deviously~fading~away]

I can't see the side that loses the first session tomorrow being able to come back into the game, personally.

Same here, keeping in mind all the twists & turns this match has provided i just can't see the team losing the 1st session tommorow winning the test match

 

[deviously~fading~away]

what a fascinating test match, its been back and forth the entire way. Both teams have played brilliant cricket and this deserves to go down as a classic no matter who wins.

Test cricket at its best.

it will be much more of a classic if Pakistan win